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IRS Warns of Phone Scam

Image description: The IRS is warning of a phone scam targeting tax payers.
Scammers are calling tax payers and telling them they owe the IRS money and need to pay it immediately through a pre-loaded credit card or wire transfer.
If you don’t pay, the scammers claim you could be arrested, deported or have your driver’s or business license suspended.
Remember, the IRS will never initiate contact with you over the phone, email or social media to request personal information.
Visit IRS.gov to learn more about the scam and how to report it.

Lightning Safety Tips

From the USA.gov blog;

Lightning Safety Tips

Summer is the peak season for lightning-related deaths and injuries, though people are struck by lightning year-round.

The National Weather Service provides a wide range of information about lightning, including these facts and tips:

General Tips

• No outdoor area is safe when you hear thunder.
• If you hear thunder, find a safe indoor shelter (a substantial building or enclosed, metal-topped vehicle with the windows up).

Indoor Safety Tips

• Stay off corded phones, computers, and other electrical equipment.
• Avoid plumbing, including sinks, baths, and faucets.
• Stay away from porches, windows, and doors.
• Never lie on concrete floors or lean against concrete walls.

Outdoor Safety Tips
No outdoor area is safe during a thunderstorm, but if you’re caught outside with no safe shelter options, take these steps to reduce your risk of being struck by lightning:

• Come down from elevated areas.
• Never lie flat on the ground.
• Never shelter under an isolated tree.
• Never use a cliff or rocky overhang for shelter.
• Immediately get out and away from ponds, lakes, and other bodies of water.
• Stay away from objects that conduct electricity, such as wire fences.

 Read some interesting myths and facts about lightning.

The Grip of the Rip

Here's a video from NOAA that explains how to be safe from rip currents.

Don't Be a Victim of Internet Dating Scams

From the USA.gov Blog:
Internet dating and romance scams, commonly called “sweetheart scams,” target people with online dating profiles or through social media networks, and are becoming more common. The Internet makes it easy for people to create fake identities, using other people’s pictures to pretend they are attractive and interested in you.
After a bond has been formed, the scammer will typically ask to borrow money, either for a travel expense to come visit, or because of an “emergency” to one of their family members or even to themselves.
The State Department offers these tips on how to recognize sweetheart scams:

• The scammer and the victim meet online – often through Internet dating or employment sites.
• The scammer asks for money to get out of a bad situation or to provide a service.
• Photographs that the scammer sends of “him/herself” show a very attractive person. The photo appears to have been taken at a professional modeling agency or photographic studio.
• The scammer has incredibly bad luck— often getting into car crashes, arrested, mugged, beaten, or hospitalized — usually all within the course of a couple of months. They often claim that their key family members (parents and siblings) are dead. Sometimes, the scammer claims to have an accompanying child overseas who is very sick or has been in an accident.
• The scammer claims to be a native-born American citizen, but uses poor grammar indicative of a non-native English speaker. Sometimes the scammer will use eloquent romantic language that is plagiarized from the Internet.

The FBI also offers additional advice on dealing with sweetheart scams. You can report Internet scams to www.ic3.gov.
Learn more about sweetheart scams and how to avoid them.

Keep Your Food Safe This Holiday Season

From the USA.gov Blog:

Keep Your Food Safe This Holiday Season:
While the holiday season keeps you busy, food safety at family meals or holiday parties is more important than ever. As you get ready to prepare big meals for guests, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is ready to answer your questions about food safety.
According to the USDA, turkey is the food you ask about most often. Common questions about turkey are whether drugs are used in turkeys, and if the turkeys are inspected before they hit your grocery store aisle.
You can rest assured that any turkey you buy at the store has been inspected by either the USDA or your state to ensure they meet certain standards.
No matter what dishes you plan to serve at your holiday dinners or parties, it’s important to remember that any food can easily be contaminated. The USDA recommends that you follow the “two hour rule” and put away food that has been setting out for more than two hours to prevent germs from spreading.
You can also prevent the spread of food borne illnesses by washing your hands before and after preparing your food and keeping your kitchen utensils clean.
Find more food safety tips and order a free packet of publications that will help you get a great holiday meal on the table.

Get Weather Emergency Alerts On the Go

From the USA.gov Blog:

Get Weather Emergency Alerts On the Go:
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is soon launching weather emergency alerts to your mobile devices. Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) are emergency messages sent by authorized government authorities through your mobile carrier.
Government partners include local and state public safety agencies, FEMA, the Federal Communications Commission, the Department of Homeland Security, and the National Weather Service.
You will be able to sign up for weather-related emergency alerts through your mobile carrier. The alerts will include extreme weather warnings, local emergencies requiring evacuation or immediate action, AMBER alerts and Presidential alerts during a national emergency. The alerts will look like a text message, but will include a special tone and vibration, both repeated twice.
You can also receive alerts based on your phone’s current location. While most older phones are not WEA-capable, new mobile devices are. For information about which mobile devices are WEA-capable, please visit http://www.ctia.org/wea or contact your wireless carrier.
Learn more about Weather Emergency Alerts.

Summer Weather Dangers: How to Stay Safe

From the USA.gov Blog:

Summer Weather Dangers: How to Stay Safe:
Summertime can bring a range of weather challenges and potential dangers. Some of these threats can occur with little warning, so do what you can to prepare by assembling an emergency kit and forming a plan of action.
Find out what you should do if faced with the following weather dangers:

Lightning

In the U.S., lightning kills more people each year than tornadoes and hurricanes. If you can hear thunder, you are within striking distance and should seek shelter in an enclosed building or vehicle. While indoors, don’t use a corded phone, a computer or other electrical appliances; and avoid contact with plumbing (don’t shower, wash hands, do laundry, etc.). Learn more about lightning safety and get tips on what to do if you’re outdoors during a thunderstorm.

Floods

If you have time, move essential items to an upper floor. Do not touch electrical equipment if you are wet or standing in water. Do not walk through moving water that is six inches or higher. If floodwaters rise around your car, abandon the car and move to higher ground. Learn more about what to do before, during, and after a flood.

Hurricanes

If you can’t evacuate, get inside and secure external and internal doors. Stay away from windows and doors and take refuge in a small interior room, closet, or hallway on the lowest level. Learn more about what to do before, during, and after a hurricane.

Tornadoes

Storm cellars and basements are the safest locations, but if they aren’t available, go to an interior room, closet, or hallway on the lowest level. Stay away from windows, doors, outside walls, and corners. If you are in a trailer or mobile home, go to a sturdy, nearby building. Learn more about what to do before, during, and after a tornado.

Extreme Heat

Stay indoors as much as possible. Consider spending the hottest part of the day in an air-conditioned public building, such as a library or shopping mall. Never leave children or pets alone in vehicles. Learn more about what to do in extreme heat.

Wildfires

If your home is threatened by a wildfire, you must evacuate. If you have time, bring an emergency kit that includes copies of important documents. Learn more about what to do before, during, and after a wildfire.

Earthquakes

If you are indoors, stay away from windows, doors, and outside walls and get under a sturdy table or desk. If you are outside, keep away from buildings, streetlights, and utility wires. If you’re in a moving vehicle, safely stop the vehicle in an open area and stay inside. Learn more about what to do before, during, and after an earthquake.

Food Safety – What You Can Do

From the USA.gov Blog:

Food Safety – What You Can Do:
Each year, about one in six Americans gets sick from food poisoning. Although most will recover without any lasting problems, some types of food poisoning can lead to kidney failure, chronic arthritis, brain and nerve damage, and even death.
When you prepare food at home, be sure to follow 4 basic steps to help prevent food poisoning: clean, separate, cook, and chill.
If you’d like to receive emails about food recalls, sign up for automated alerts.
Learn more about how to keep your food safe at FoodSafety.gov.

Keep Your Personal Information Safe Online With Strong Passwords

From the USA.gov Blog:

Keep Your Personal Information Safe Online With Strong Passwords:
With the recent news that several popular websites have been hacked, we thought it was a good time to remind you what you can do to keep your personal information safe online.
It all starts with creating safe and secure online passwords. Our Consumer Action Handbook offers several tips to help you create strong passwords.

• As tempting as it can be, don’t use the same password across multiple websites. If one website gets hacked, the hackers would then be able to access your information on other sites.
• Change your passwords from time to time.
• Use a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters.
• The longer password, the better it is.
• Don’t use your name, birthday, license plate, favorite sports teams or other facts that are easily guessed.
• Create a password based on a phrase. For example “A stitch in time saves nine” can be translated into the password “Ast!Ts9”. where each character represents a word in the phrase.
• If you must use the same password on several websites, add a prefix or suffix. For example, use “Ast!Ts9:4bnk”for your bank account and “Eml: Ast!Ts9” for your email account.

Find more information about keeping your personal information safe online.

Click It or Ticket: Avoid Fines by Wearing Your Seat Belt

From the USA.gov Blog:  

Click It or Ticket: Avoid Fines by Wearing Your Seat Belt:
This week is the start of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s two week national “Click It or Ticket” campaign to increase seat belt usage in cars.
During the Memorial Day holiday weekend, when many people are traveling, law enforcement agencies across the country will heavily enforce the message of Click It or Ticket. If you are caught not wearing your seat belt, you could be fined.
Research shows men ages 18-34 are the least likely to wear their seat belts, even though seat belts save nearly 13,000 lives each year, according to NHTSA.
Wearing your seat belt properly will help keep you safe.
The lap belt should sit across your hips below your stomach and the shoulder belt should sit comfortably across the middle of your chest and away from your neck.
Learn more about Click It or Ticket and proper seat belt fit (PDF).

Safety Rules for Riding a Bicycle

From the USA.Gov Blog:

Safety Rules for Riding a Bicycle:
Riding a bicycle is more than a fun and healthy family activity. Besides being great way to exercise, many people also use bicycles to commute to work, go to the grocery store, or to visit friends and family. Some people use them as their primary mode of transportation.
With summer fast approaching, it’s a good idea to review some of the basic safety rules of riding a bicycle. That way, you can minimize your chances of getting into an accident. After all, May is Bicycle Safety Month!

Prepping Your Bicycle

In the U.S., more than 50,000 bicyclists were injured in 2009 and 630 died from accidents with vehicles, according to the latest figures by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Before you go on a bike ride, make sure to:

• Always use a helmet, regardless of your age.
• Use a bicycle that’s the right size for you so that you will be able to control it properly.
• Make sure the brakes are working and the tires are inflated to the correct pressure.
• Make yourself visible to motorists by wearing bright colors like red or yellow.
• Get rear and front lights that are very bright or flash to increase your visibility.
• Avoid riding your bicycle at night.

NHTSA has additional resources on bicycle safety, including how to fit your bike helmet (PDF format).

Rules for Riding a Bicycle on the Street

Bicycles are considered vehicles, so cyclists are expected to follow the same traffic rules as car drivers. When you are on the road:

• Obey all traffic laws, including stoplights, signs, signals and lane markings.
• Yield to pedestrians.
• Ride your bicycle in the same direction as traffic, never against it.
• Signal when you make turns.
• Be careful near parked cars as someone might suddenly open the door.

NHTSA has a parent pledge (PDF format) as well as a child pledge (PDF format) to help promote responsible bicycling.

Rules for Riding a Bicycle on the Sidewalk

The street, especially where there are bike lanes, is the best place to ride a bicycle. However, the sidewalk might be safer for children under 10 years old who are unable to ride their bicycles on the street without adult supervision.
Before riding your bicycle on the sidewalk, make sure it’s allowed by local and state authorities. If you do ride your bike on the sidewalk:

• Be careful with cars coming in and out of driveways.
• Alert pedestrians when you’re close to them by saying “passing you on your left” or by using a bell horn.
• Stop at all intersections before crossing the street.

For more information visit the NHTSA’s bicycle safety page.

Child Safety Seat Guidelines Keep Kids Safe in the Car

From USA.gov Blog:

Child Safety Seat Guidelines Keep Kids Safe in the Car:
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) regulates car seats based on recommendations for different age groups. There are different recommendations for children’s age groups ranging from birth until 12 years old.

Children should be kept in a rear facing car seat for as long as possible, especially when they are one or younger. Only when they have reached the correct height and weight for a front facing car seat, as stated by the manufacturer, should you transfer them to that type of safety seat.

Once your child outgrows the front facing car seat, usually between the ages of 4 to 7, you should move them to a booster seat in the back seat of your car. They should remain in a booster seat until they can fit in a seat belt properly.

According to the NHTSA for a seat belt to fit properly the lap belt must lie snugly across the upper thighs, not the stomach. The shoulder belt should lie snug across the shoulder and chest and not cross the neck or face, and your child should ride in the back seat because it’s safer there.

Each state has its own laws regarding which car safety seats you must use. Make sure to know your state’s laws before buckling your child in.

Learn more about car safety seat recommendations and see the laws in your state.

Today is Change Your Password Day: Celebrate by Upgrading Your Password System [Change Your Password Day]

From Lifehacker:

Today is Change Your Password Day: Celebrate by Upgrading Your Password System [Change Your Password Day]:

When's the last time you changed your passwords, or at least took a good look at how many systems or services you're using old, busted, insecure passwords with? Well, today is Change Your Password Day, and toegether with our friends at Gizmodo we're on a mission to make sure that you take the time to beef up your security, upgrade your password system, and most importantly, change your passwords now—especially if any of yours look like one of these.

Ready to take the first step towards password nirvana? Here are some articles that can get you started, and even help you build a password system that you'll spend less time worrying about and more time using, without the hassle of remembering dozens of different passwords or fretting every time a site gets hacked.

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How to Audit and Update Your Passwords

When something like a password database compromise happens, it's a good time to reassess your online security. With the right tool, I've reset my Gawker Media password, and all others like it, in 3 minutes, from a train. More »

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Your Passwords Aren't As Secure As You Think; Here's How to Fix That

If you allow applications to save your passwords, anyone with physical access to your PC can decode them unless you're properly encrypting them-and chances are pretty good you're not. More »

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How I'd Hack Your Weak Passwords

If you invited me to try and crack your password, you know the one that you use over and over for like every web page you visit, how many guesses would it take before I got it? More »

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The Only Secure Password Is the One You Can't Remember

Let's assume you log onto a bunch of different websites; Facebook, Gmail, eBay, PayPal, probably some banking, maybe a few discussion forums, and probably much, much more. More »

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Geek to Live: Choose (and remember) great passwords

A secure, memorable password is easy for you to remember, and hard for others to guess.

Everywhere you turn you've got to come up with a password to register for something or another. More »

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Use This Infographic to Pick a Good, Strong Password

We always enjoy a useful infographic, and there are few things quite as important as choosing a strong password-at least in the area of online security. More »

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How to Build a (Nearly) Hack-Proof Password System with LastPass and a Thumb Drive

It seems like every day there's news that a new site or service has been hacked. The intruders make off with usernames and passwords, and even if they're encrypted the service forces users to change them. More »

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LastPass Alternatives that Keep Your Passwords Safe from Online Hacking

After popular password manager LastPass faced a possible security breach yesterday, many of you are looking for an alternative password solution that doesn't store your passwords on someone else's servers. More »

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Five Best Password Managers

As more of our work, play, and business is conducted online it becomes increasingly important to use a diverse set of strong passwords. This week we take a look at the five best password managers to keep your passwords organized.More »

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Xkcd Password Generator Creates Long, Easy-to-Remember Passwords

Web comic xkcd notes that "through 20 years of effort, we've successfully trained everyone to use passwords that are hard for humans to remember, but easy for computers to guess." More »

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When you're finished changing your passwords or setting up your ultimate password system, come back and let us know how you did it. Did you use LastPass, one of our favorite tools? Or perhaps the open-source marvel KeePass is your preferred tool? Maybe you're a 1Password kind of person, or alternatively you just jot down all of your secure passwords and keep them in your wallet. Whatever you do, let us know how you're improving your security today in the comments below.

'Gameover' Scam Targets Bank Accounts

From USA.gov Blog

'Gameover' Scam Targets Bank Accounts:

The FBI identified a new phishing scam online that targets your bank accounts. The scam is called “Gameover.” Once the virus is on your computer, it can steal all of your user names and passwords before you realize what has happened.

How It Works

The Gameover scam will email you, pretending to be from the National Automated Clearing House Association (NACHA), the Federal Reserve Bank, or the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). The email will say that there has been a problem with your bank account or a recent transaction, and will include a link to help fix the problem. The link will send you to a phony site, where the Gameover malware is automatically installed on your computer and starts stealing your bank account information.

If you think you’ve been victimized by this type of scheme, contact your financial institution to report it, and file a complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center.

Learn more about the Gameover Scam.

Holiday Tip of the Day: Keep Food Safe

From the USA.gov Blog:

Holiday Tip of the Day: Keep Food Safe:
Holiday buffets are convenient ways to entertain a crowd, but leaving food out for long periods of time can invite bacteria that cause foodborne illness. To keep your holiday foods safe, cook them thoroughly, use shallow containers, never leave them sitting out for more than two hours, and keep them at the appropriate temperature. Keep your guests healthy with these food safety tips.

Did you miss yesterday’s tip? Get more holiday tips.

First Nationwide Test of the Emergency Alert System On Wednesday

First Nationwide Test of the Emergency Alert System On Wednesday:From the USA.gov Blog:
The Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Federal Communications Commission will conduct the first nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System tomorrow, Wednesday, November 9 at 2:00 PM Eastern time. It will last 30 seconds.

You may hear a message on radio or television saying, “This is a test.” This national test will help determine the reliability of the system and its effectiveness in notifying the public of emergencies and potential dangers nationally and regionally.

The Emergency Alert System is a national system to let the President address the public during emergencies. Under the Federal Communications Commission’s rules, radio and television broadcasters, cable operators, satellite providers and wireline video service providers are required to receive and transmit presidential Emergency Alert System messages to the public.

The nationwide test will broadcast across all states and the territories of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and American Samoa.

Learn more about the Emergency Alert System test.

Four Simple Halloween Safety Tips

Four Simple Halloween Safety Tips: From USA.gov Blog:
Use these tips to avoid safety scares this Halloween.

Pick visible costumes

Pick brightly colored costumes. It will be easier for cars to see you on dark roads. If you want to wear dark colors, stick some reflective tape on the costumes to make them more noticeable. You can also put reflective tape on candy bags and or carry a flashlight.

Use face paint instead of a mask

Masks can obstruct vision, so face paint could be a better option. If you decide to use face paint, follow the directions on the packaging closely. You may want to test the face paint a few days before Halloween to make sure it doesn’t irritate your skin. And make sure to avoid eyes when you apply it.

Don’t snack while trick-or-treating

Wait until you get home so that you have a chance to inspect your candy. Toss out any candy with opened or damaged wrappers and homemade treats, unless you know the giver personally.

Find an alternative to candles

Consider using a glow stick or battery-powered lights instead of candles in luminaries or jack-o-lanterns, especially around little kids who could get burned or drapery that could catch fire. Make sure your Halloween costumes are flame resistant in case a cape or other part of the costume comes near an open flame.

Find more tips for having a safe and fun Halloween.

Act Now To Avoid Having Utilities Shut Off This Winter

Act Now To Avoid Having Utilities Shut Off This Winter: From the Red Tape blog:
Dramatic cuts in state and federal dollars for home heating assistance programs could hurt low income people who face heat shut-offs this winter, officials say.


The Michigan Public Service Commission has urged residents who are qualified to contact their utility to sign up for programs meant to avoid a shut-off with the lack of funds available, said Judy Palnau, an agency spokeswoman.


“As long as they are abiding by the rule of the program, they can avoid shut-off,” she said. Information on the programs are available at www.michigan.gov/bewinterwise.


For the full article, see Barrie Barber, "State urges people facing winter heat shut-offs to contact utilities as state and federal funds for home heating aid run dry", Saginaw News via MLive, October 27, 2011.

Original post blogged on b2evolution.

Four Simple Tips to Stay Safe from Fires

Four Simple Tips to Stay Safe from Fires:From the USA.gov Blog:
More than 4,000 Americans die each year in fires. Most of these deaths can be prevented by having a working smoke alarm. As a part of Fire Prevention Week 2011, the Federal Emergency Management Agency is sharing tips for keeping your home and family safe.

Here are four simple things you can do today to be ready for a fire:

• Install smoke alarms on every level of your home
• Test smoke alarms once a month
• Be sure to change smoke alarm batteries at least once a year
• Make and practice your family’s fire escape plan

Follow FEMA on Facebook and Twitter to get more safety tips throughout the rest of the week.

To learn more about preventing home fires, visit Ready.gov/fires.